The Scarlet Letter Vocab Flashcards
Decorous
Characterized by dignified propriety
Propriety
Appropriateness, rightness to the purpose or circumstance
Sagacious
Having or based on profound knowledge or good judgement
Alacrity
Cheerful, readiness, promptness, willingness, aliveness, briskness
Fervent
Having or showing great warmth of intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm etc
Torpid
Inactive or sluggish, slow
Mirth
Gladness, jollity, laughter
Palpable
Readily or plainly seen, heard, perceived, obvious, evident, or tangible
Esoteric
Understood by only a select few
Propensity
An often intense natural inclination or preference
Opaque
- Not transparent or translucent, impenetrable to light
2. Hard to understand
Alchemist
A person who practices alchemy, which is the forerunner of chemistry that’s based on the transformation of metals into gold
Penitence
The quality of being sorrowful for sins or fault
Labyrinth
- Maze
2. Bewilderingly complicated
Auspicious
Showing of suggesting that future success is likely
Obtrusive
Undecidedly prominent
Despondency
Depression, hopelessness
Erudite
Characterized by great knowledge; scholarly wisdom
Ethereal
Light, airy, delicate, refined, heavenly, implies you can’t touch it
Import
Relative importance, significance
Venerable
Honored, revered
Precipice
A very steep cliff
The brink of something dangerous
Estranged
Alienated, separated
Vicissitude
A passing of one thing to another, a change of luck
Decorum
Appropriate conduct
Gratuitous
Given freely, unwarranted
Jocularity
Jesting, joking
Audacity
Excessively bold, daring, rash
Propinquity
Nearness of closeness, kinship
Ignominy
Disgraceful of dishonorable conduct
Impugn
To assail or attack ones honor or integrity
Capricious
Changing suddenly, fickle
Deleterious
Harmful, dangerous
Dearth
A lack or scarcity
Imbibe
To absorb or drink in
Formidable
Causing fear, apprehension or dread
Abate
To reduce in degree amount or intensity
Affinity
Likeness, a natural relationship, kinship
Amenable
Open to or willing to follow advice or suggestions
Antipathy
A dislike or distaste
Benign
Not causing harm, of gentle disposition
Predilections
A special liking or bias
Primeval
Belonging to the first or earlier age
Placid
Severely free of instruction or disturbance
Portent
An indication that something is going to happen, an omen
Tome
A large scholarly book
Contentious
Likely to cause disagreement or argument
Malevolence
The state of being evil towards others
Precocious
Exceptionally early in mental development
Exigent
Requiring or calling for much or immediate attention
Gaunt
Excessively thin and looks sickly
Pallor
Unusual or extreme paleness from fear, ill health or deathness
Arduous
Requiring great exertion, laborious
Augur
An official I charge of interpreting
Fortune telling
Implicit
Understood or implied
Benevolent
Marked by or organized for doing good
Disposition to do good or an act of kindness
Depravity
A corrupt act or practice